ISOLATION OF TEF1 ENCODING TRANSLATION ELONGATION-FACTOR EF1-ALPHA FROM THE HOMOBASIDIOMYCETE SCHIZOPHYLLUM-COMMUNE

The tef1 gene coding for translation elongation factor EF1 alpha was i dentified by a PCR-based approach using degenerate oligonucleotides de rived from conserved regions seen in alignments of other EF1 alpha s. The deduced amino acid sequence was compared to other EF1 alpha s. In Southern blot analyses no evidence for a second gene encoding EF1 alph a in Schizophyllum commune was detected. Abundant transcript levels we re detected in Northern blot analyses. The open reading frame is inter rupted by seven small introns; however, the positions of these introns are not conserved between the homobasidiomycete Schizophyllum commune and the heterobasidiomycete Puccinia graminis genes.